Introduction

English Connects is a new programme funded by the FCO and British Council and managed by the British Council. It aims to:

• connect the UK to young people aged 18-35 and the future generation of leaders in francophone Africa through English
• improve the quality of English language learning and teaching and facilitate digital literacy, thereby creating opportunities to enable young people fulfil their potential while improving their employability, resilience and networks
• increase UK visibility across the region, improving UK access and making the UK more ‘relevant’ to senior policy makers and influencers.

Working with governments, the private sector, young entrepreneurs, future leaders, educators and learners in formal and non-formal education, the programme will reach and impact a wide audience through face to face interaction, media and digital channels and will connect UK ELT providers, institutions, media and educational technology agencies with the targeted countries.

The opportunities

RFP H – Supporting Secondary EFL Teachers Video Resource (up to £60,000) – e-Tendering system reference BC/00931

To develop a resource consisting of a series of video observations of local model teachers teaching demo lessons with real classes in Sub-Saharan Africa, along with an accompanying handbook containing video observation tasks and additional classroom activities. The resource aims to support secondary state school EFL teachers by enabling them to observe good practice and by providing a source of practical ideas and activities demonstrated on-screen. It will offer them the opportunity to step inside other classrooms and gain insight, inspiration and confidence from observing their peers at work.

The resource aims to address the perceived lack of continuing professional development (CPD) in secondary education systems in Angola, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Gabon, Guinea (Conakry), Mali, Niger and Senegal. 

RFP J – Senegal Assessment Consultancy (up to £25,000) – e-Tendering system reference BC/00933

The provision of consultancy services, to undertake a systematic review of the current approach to English language assessment in the Senegalese secondary education system.

A scoping visit to Senegal last year and ongoing work and engagement since have identified a perceived disconnect in Senegal’s state education system between a communicative English language teaching (CLT) syllabus and the assessment of English at the end of the secondary education cycle, which focuses mainly on reading comprehension. English is not taught in the state primary school system.

There is widespread interest from the Ministry and the national teachers’ association (it was the main focus of the last national teachers’ day convention) to review and reform assessment to allow and encourage a more communicative approach to teaching and learning, with a particular emphasis on improving the confidence and speaking skills of young Senegalese.